Villarreal went into the game without a win in five outings at El Madrigal, but that abject form was forgotten amid a scintillating first hour. Dos Santos was at the heart of it, finding the net twice in the first half and teeing up another for Ikechukwu Uche. The pair combined again on 55 minutes, Uche taking his tally to five in two outings, before Moi Gómez got in on the act.

Imanol Agirretxe pulled one back on the hour and to their credit Real Sociedad continued to press, but the damage had been done. The man responsible for that, Dos Santos, exited to a standing ovation with 16 minutes left and his team now lie two points ahead of La Real and two behind fourth-place Athletic Club.

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